UFC 160 results/photos: Khabib Nurmagomedov manhandles Abel Trujillo

LAS VEGAS – When Abel Trujillo wasn’t being flung on the floor by Khabib Nurmagomedov, he was struggling to get up. And once he managed to get up, he only got thrown back down again. So it went for three full rounds, until the final horn sounded and Nurmagomedov was awarded the unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

The lightweight bout was part of Saturday’s UFC 160 event at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It aired on FX following additional prelims on Facebook and prior to a pay-per-view main card.

Nurmagomedov came close to securing a finish late in the first round, after an armbar attempt off his back led to a triangle choke in the waning seconds. Trujillo survived that, but spent the next two rounds being tossed around the octagon like a bag of dry leaves.

By the time it was finally over, the frustration was all over Trujillo’s face, and the outcome was clear to anyone with eyes. All the judges had to do was make it official.

“I’m very sorry I didn’t make weight for the fight,” Nurmagomedov said. “It’s a professional sport and we have to abide by the rules. Unfortunately, it was just a mistake in my weight cut. I came in a little too heavy this week. Back home, respect means a lot to us and backstage (at weigh-ins) I tried to approach Abel and apologize. He decided to slap my hand, walk away, and on the stage he brought his head to my forehead so I reacted. It was a big motivation to beat his ass out there. I also wanted to showcase my wrestling techniques in support of the ‘Save Olympic Wrestling’ campaign. Wrestling means a lot to me and it’s a huge part of the sport. We have to do what we can to keep it alive.”

Nurmagomedov (20-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) maintains his perfect record with his fourth straight win in the Octagon. Trujillo (10-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) drops his first since entering the UFC with a TKO win in December.

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